NEWSBRIEFS

PANGASINAN

4 drown off beaches

Four people, among them a father and his son, drowned on Sunday in two separate incidents off Lingayen beach.

Police said Donato Macam, 44, and his son, Damson, 21, from Barangay (village) Pangapisan Norte in Lingayen, drowned during a family picnic in a resort. Police said the elder Macam tried to save his son when Damson shouted for help at 7:30 a.m. His brother, Donnel, also tried a rescue but failed.

Rescuers retrieved the older Macam and brought him to the hospital but doctors there pronounced him dead on arrival. Damson’s body was recovered at 6 a.m. on Monday.

In Barangay Estanza, a coastal village west of Pangapisan Norte, Cleomar Justin Versoza, 14, and his cousin, Matthew Pasiliao, 19, drowned when strong currents pulled Pasiliao and Versoza, who attempted a rescue. Pasiliao’s older brother, Kevin, tried to help but was also pulled in. However, he was rescued by S/Sgt. Boyet Viray, who was in the area. Gabriel Cardinoza and Yolanda Sotelo, Inquirer Northern Luzon 

IFUGAO

4 dead in truck fall

A dump truck fell 100 meters into a ravine in Mayoyao town in Ifugao on Saturday, killing four of its 64 passengers, who were being ferried home from a wedding, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported on Sunday.

The truck, owned by Mayoyao Mayor Ronie Lumayna, was climbing a single lane road in Sitio Linayan in Barangay Nalbu at 3:45 p.m. when it slipped off the road due to the roads loose portion, the OCD said. Rodalyn Homecgoy, 22, and Sherief Jude Naila, 32, died instantly while Joel Nabad-ao, 21, and Chrysler Abbugao, 22, died before reaching hospitals.

Thirteen of their companions were taken to hospitals in Santiago City and in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya. Vincent Cabreza and Frank Cimatu, Inquirer Northern Luzon  

CABANATUAN CITY

Cop faces raps

A policeman is facing criminal and administrative charges for allegedly conspiring to steal weapons and valuable items stored as evidence in the Gabaldon police station.

PO1 Kristian Peter Joe Rigdao, who served as a jail guard at the station, was accused of stealing a laptop, DVD player, mobile telephone, assorted jewelry pieces and P11,010 from the police’s evidence cabinet on Feb. 5. On March 26, Rigdao, with the help of a detainee, allegedly tried to sneak out Armalite rifles from the station’s armory rack, according to another detainee.

The detainee told investigators that he helped the two men by cutting the perimeter fence of the Gabaldon police station to open a passageway where the rifles would have been brought out. The attempt, however, failed when policemen discovered one of the rifles hidden inside an impounded truck. Armand Galang, Inquirer Central Luzon

NAGA CITY

8 held for illegal drugs

Police arrested eight persons, including two brothers and their father, for possession of illegal drugs in a raid in a house in Barangay Cararayan, Naga City, early on Friday morning.

PO3 Victor Bino said eight small plastic sachets of shabu were seized from the group in the 3 a.m. raid in a house in the village.

Those arrested were identified as Domingo Pesimo Jr., 31, and live-in partner Vanessa Himayon, 32; Gary Pesimo, 38, and live-in partner Maricris Clores, 29; and Domingo Pesimo Sr., 59, father to Domingo Jr. and Gary. Also arrested were Ramon Albestro, 48; Michael Magat, 33; and Arnold Regollado, 34. Juan Escandor Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon